The National Geographic Bee is an annual, nation-wide competition sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The program welcomes students in grades four through eight and is designed to “inspire and reward students’ curiosity about the world.”

Students representing 10,000 schools from across the country are expected to participate in the 2018 National Geographic Bee for a chance to win college scholarships. Middle-schoolers from Chesapeake Science Point Public Charter School in Hanover are very pleased to be counted among those participating schools.

Chesapeake Science Point AP U.S. History teacher, Tuesdai Ingulia is the Chair of the Liberal Arts Department. She has spent six of her nine-year tenure at CSP involved with the National Geographic Bee.

“CSP has participated in the Bee for the past six years,” Ingulia said. “I decided to enter the competition after students and parents expressed interest.”

The National Geographic Bee is in its 30th year. Not to be confused with a spelling bee, the National Geographic Bee is a geography bee.

The preliminary round was open to all middle schoolers in grades 6-8. Students across the country were given the same question to answer at the school level. Then, a test is administered to determine who advances to the state competition level.

About 50 students took the preliminary test and the top 10 scorers moved into the final competition, which we held at the school as student, parents and teacher watched, Ingulia said.

The 10 students who competed in the final round were eighth gradersHannah Sullivan, Rishi Erigineni, Joseph Smotherman, Rygle Yance, Brian Vieson, Noah Caddeo, and Leyton Calzado. Participating seventh graders includedMadeline Parks, and Emma Schurr. And from the sixth grade was Alex Moution.

Hannah Sullivan was this year’s third-place winner, Joseph Smotherman was this year’s runner-up, and Rishi Erigineni was the school-wide champion,Ingulia said.

Hannah and Joseph were finalists last year. This is Rishi’s second year to win the Bee. Rishi will take a test to try to qualify for the Maryland Statewide Bee.

While National Geographic provides resources to the students to help prepare them for the geography bee, Ingulia said the children who do well in the bee generally love to learn about the world in general.

“A lot of times they are students who have done quite a bit of traveling or have parents who travel, as well as students who spend their time reading about history and the world,” Ingulia said. “Unlike a spelling bee, there aren’t any rules and patterns that can be memorized in a short time – these students genuinely just love to learn and have amassed quite a bit of knowledge in their short lives.”

Ingulia enjoys the interaction with these students and the chance to see how much they know as most of the questions asked are not necessarily related to things learned in class.

“It’s nice to work with these students because they intrinsically love learning for the sake of learning,” Ingulia said. “What more can a teacher ask for?”

ROWC meets at Club Meade

The Fort Meade Retired Officers' Wives' Club will hold a luncheon meeting March 6 at 11:00 at Club Meade, 6600 Mapes Road. The program will focus on Sally Ride and the challenges she faced as a female astronaut in space.

Cost of the buffet luncheon is $20. Reservations are required by noon March 1 and can be made by calling Debbie Alexander at 703- 328-8242 or by email to incsinc2014@gmail.com. There is no change for reservations for those on the permanent list, but cancellations must be made by noon March 1 to the above number or email address.

Regular membership in the ROWC is extended to spouses, widows, and widowers of retired officers and to retired officers of all branches of the military services. Membership dues are $25 per year. Members may bring guests at any time to the luncheons, which are held the first Tuesday of each month, except June, July, August, and January. For more information, call Audrey Rothstein, president of the ROWC, at 443-454-7974.

Art auction gala comes to Jessup

The David W. Tomaszewski Memorial Scholarship Committee will be holding its annual gala live art auction in partnership with the Marlin Art Gallery in Deer Park, N.Y. The auction will be held at the Jessup Community Hall March 10 with the preview starting at 7 p.m. The auction begins at 8 p.m. Selection may include art by Renoir, Peter Max, Borelli, Ilyayev, Tarkay, Warhol, Orlando, Kinkade, Ansel Adams, Live, Pino as well as animation cells, sports memorabilia, collectibles and family heirlooms. Advanced tickets are $10. They are $15 at the door.

Guest artist this year will be John Stanisci, illustrator for DC and Marvel Comics. Stanisci will bring color prints, draw live sketches, and have original art for sale. For tickets and information call Dana Herbert at 410-796-7999 or email ddherbert@maxinter.net.

Photos of the people and places of Harmans, Hanover, Jessup and Severn as featured in the West County column in the Maryland Gazette and Crofton West County Gazette.